Kentucky Allows Notary Via Video Conference
On Friday, the Kentucky of Secretary announced that Kentucky notaries may now use video conference technology to notarize documents. This action was taken in response to the multiple social distancing, shelter in place and similar orders present around the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The action makes it easier for documents to be notarized since notaries no longer must be physically present in the same location as the individuals whose signatures they are notarizing. A distinction was made between allowing a tangible document to be notarized using video conference technology under this new guidance and an online notary public. The new option in Kentucky does not allow online notaries for electronic records. That is a separate function that is not addressed by the new guidance. Kentucky notaries intending to witness document signings via video conference must contact the Kentucky Secretary of State’s notary public program coordinator Johnna Ballinger at Johnna.ballinger@ky.gov.
In contrast, Indiana has not yet adopted any standards to allow either notarization using video conference technology or to authorize individuals to become remote notaries. However, efforts are underway to try and fast track these developments.